This purported iPhone 5 panel looks a lot like an iPhone 4 panel to us.

Yet another picture of the front panel destined for Apple’s next-generation iPhone has surfaced online via Chinese technology blog MyDrivers. Like the others we’ve seen, this one reportedly sports a 4-inch display, along with in-cell touch technology that makes the panel thinner than its predecessors. However, the panel in this image looks no different to an iPhone 4S panel to me.

MyDrivers reports that the iPhone panel they have obtained from “supply chain sources” features a larger, 4-inch display, in addition to new in-cell touch technology that integrates touch sensors directly into the LCD itself, negating the need for a dedicated digitizer and thus making the front panel considerably thinner than that on previous iPhones.

The panel fits in nicely with all of the rumors we’ve been hearing about the new iPhone to date, but we do have one concern: The image MyDrivers have provided looks to be that of an iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S panel. Take a look at the image above and compare it to the image of an iPhone 4S panel taken by iFixit below.

Appears exactly the same, doesn’t it?

Unfortunately, that does make this report a rather questionable one. Of course, it’s hard to dismiss it completely without seeing measurements for the panel obtained by MyDrivers, so here’s to hoping that report is followed up with some better images.

This is inconsistent with the other leaks – the FT camera is supposed to be above the earpiece, no?

JustAnotherMacUser

There is no way this “panel fits in nicely with all of the rumors”! We have seen the rumored “new housing” with the side bezel and the back part as one peace. How would one now screw that display shown here onto the bezel? Its just an iPhone 4S display, where the display is screwed onto the bezel first. Just saying…

ChrisPawOU

Technically it’s not “exactly” the same, since the metal pieces on the top of the new display are not in the corners, there is one on the side and one at the top. It’s a minor detail, but does mean it’s slightly different

sosickitzill

Chinese technology blog mydrivers, credibility = 0. Let’s move on.

richardatlarge

the thing to notice is the brackets — there’s no way this is a front-to-back phone as the 5 is going to be; this is a back to front, meaning it requires going through the back to get to the screws (but on the 5 there is no back – dah!)